Peter Yarrow

Early Life: A Song Begins in Brooklyn

Peter Yarrow's life has been one long, passionate chorus full of activism and soul-stirring humanity. Best known as one-third of the iconic folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, Yarrow didn’t just sing about peace and justice but lived it. From civil rights marches to anti-war rallies, and lullabies to classrooms, Yarrow’s voice carried meaning beyond melody. He didn’t simply ride the wave of the 1960s folk revival; he helped compose its soundtrack, and through it, carved a legacy that resonated far beyond the stage.

Born on May 31, 1938, in Manhattan but raised in Brooklyn, Peter Yarrow was steeped in a world of cultural richness and intellectual rigour. His parents, Vera Wisebrode and Bernard Yarrow, were Ukrainian Jewish immigrants who brought with them old-world values and a deep respect for education and justice. His father, a social scientist and a teacher, worked for the Office of War Information during World War II and later helped prosecute Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg Trials—a powerful legacy that surely shaped Peter’s moral compass.

From an early age, Peter showed signs of artistic flair and emotional sensitivity. He gravitated toward music not as mere entertainment, but as a vessel for meaning. While his peers were drawn to pop songs and jukebox jingles, Peter found refuge in folk ballads and traditional melodies, which were songs that told stories, carried history, and demanded empathy.

Education: Finding Voice and Vision at Cornell

Peter’s intellectual curiosity led him to Cornell University, where he majored in psychology—a fitting discipline for someone so attuned to the human condition. But while he studied behaviour in classrooms, he explored emotion through music in campus cafés and student gatherings. It was at Cornell that his identity as a musician-activist began to crystallise. He became involved in the burgeoning folk scene and often performed at local venues, already showing signs of the charisma and conviction that would define his career.

A fun, lesser-known detail: Yarrow once admitted that his early performances at Cornell helped him overcome shyness and stage fright. Singing was his way of stepping into the world.

Career Journey: From Coffeehouses to the Capitol Steps

The Formation of Peter, Paul and Mary

In the early 1960s, Peter Yarrow returned to New York and found himself swept up in Greenwich Village’s folk revival, a cultural hotspot pulsing with political urgency and creative electricity. Manager Albert Grossman saw potential in Peter’s warm tenor and heartfelt presence, and in 1961, he paired him with Paul Stookey and Mary Travers. The chemistry was instant. Thus was born Peter, Paul and Mary—three voices blending in harmony, not just musically, but ideologically.

Their debut album, released in 1962, included songs like “Lemon Tree,” “500 Miles,” and “If I Had a Hammer”—the latter becoming an anthem for the civil rights movement. But it was “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” co-written by Yarrow and based on a poem by his friend Leonard Lipton, that cemented his place in the hearts of millions. Though often misunderstood as a veiled reference to drugs, the song was actually a wistful tale of lost innocence and childhood imagination—a reflection of Peter’s poetic soul.

A Voice for Justice

While many artists remained apolitical, Yarrow leaned in. He and his bandmates marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, sang at the 1963 March on Washington just before King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and performed at countless rallies against the Vietnam War. Their music was protest with a lullaby’s grace—firm, but never angry; hopeful, never cynical.

When the group disbanded in 1970, Yarrow didn't fade into obscurity. He channelled his energy into solo work and advocacy. One of his most impactful contributions came in 2000, when he co-founded Operation Respect, a nonprofit that uses music and educational tools to combat bullying and foster emotional learning in schools. His song “Don’t Laugh at Me” became the campaign’s unofficial anthem, sung in classrooms from New York to New Delhi.

Personal Life: The Man Behind the Music

Away from the spotlight, Yarrow was and remains a deeply introspective and empathetic man. He married Mary Beth McCarthy, niece of the late Senator Eugene McCarthy, a fellow progressive voice of the 1960s. The couple had two children, and Peter often drew inspiration from fatherhood, using music to soothe, educate, and inspire the next generation.

In private, he was known for his humility, warmth, and occasional mischief. Friends recall that he was never happier than when he was strumming a guitar at a backyard gathering or reading a poem aloud to a child.

Like many public figures, Yarrow’s life has not been without controversy, but his enduring commitment to social justice and peace has remained unwavering.

Legacy: A Song That Still Echoes

Peter Yarrow’s legacy is not defined by chart-topping hits or platinum records, though he has plenty of those, but by the enduring emotional and cultural resonance of his work. He used his art not to escape the world, but to confront it, and in doing so, helped generations find their voice.

He showed that music could be a call to conscience, a balm for the weary, and a beacon for the hopeful. Whether on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or in a second-grade classroom, Yarrow’s voice remains a reminder that change, like song, often begins with a single, brave note.

In the annals of American folk and activism, Peter Yarrow is cherished. A troubadour of truth, a bard of compassion, and a gentle warrior for justice, he reminds us still: if we have a hammer, or a song, or a heart, let us use it.